In a significant move, the Union Government has issued a notice to online encyclopedia Wikipedia amid an ongoing legal dispute with Asian News International (ANI), a prominent Indian news agency. This development follows ANI’s accusations that Wikipedia hosts defamatory content on its page, alleging that ANI acts as “a propaganda tool for the incumbent government” and circulates information from “fake news websites.” ANI has called for the removal of this contentious description from Wikipedia.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has formally raised concerns about alleged biases and inaccuracies on the platform, stating that the site may be controlled by a select group of editors who could be influencing the portrayal of certain information. The ministry has questioned Wikipedia’s role, asking whether it should be classified as a publisher rather than a neutral intermediary.

The Delhi High Court’s involvement began in August when it ordered Wikipedia to reveal the identities of the editors responsible for these alleged defamatory edits on ANI’s page. Non-compliance with this order led the court to issue a contempt notice in September, warning that if Wikipedia failed to cooperate, it could face restrictions within India. The court criticized Wikipedia’s reluctance to share information, with a strong rebuke that the platform should cease operations in India if it cannot comply with Indian laws.

This is the latest chapter in the country’s intensifying scrutiny of online content and platforms. If the government takes further action, Wikipedia could face heightened restrictions, similar to other digital platforms that have been previously asked to comply with Indian laws on transparency and content management.